Prado Museum, Madrid
Gallery in the Prado Museum, Madrid. Photo
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New extension in the San Jerónimo cloister. Photo
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Self-portrait of Albrecht Dürer, 1498.
The Holy Trinity by El Greco, 1577-79.
Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) by Francisco de Zurbaran, 1635-40.
Detail of a Doubting Thomas. Photo
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The Garden of Earthly Delights by Bosch, 1500-05.
Disturbing detail of the Triumph of Death by Brueghel the Elder, c.1562.
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Romanesque fresco of elephant and castle from San Baudelio de Berlaga.
"If Madrid had nothing else than the Prado it would be worth spending a month in every spring."
--Ernest Hemingway, Death in the Afternoon (1932)
The Prado Museum in Madrid is one of the greatest art museums in Europe and even the world. Centering on the massive art collections gathered by Spanish royalty over the centuries, the Prado displays important Spanish and Flemish paintings, Classical statues purchased from Italy, medieval religious treasures confiscated from monasteries, and even some Romanesque frescoes taken from a Madrid church.
History
The Museo del Prado began life as a natural history museum, founded by King-Mayor Carlos III in 1785. Along with the adjacent botanical gardens, Carlos III envisioned the Prado would become a major center of scientific enlightenment.
The building was completed and opened to the public in 1819, by which time King Ferdinand VII was on the throne and the museum's theme had changed to art. Named the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures, the museum was intended to demonstrate to all Europeans that Spanish art was the equal of any other nation in artistic merit.
Upon the deposition of Isabella II in 1868, the museum was nationalized and acquired its present name - Museo Nacional del Prado - inspired by the meadow (prado) in which it was built.
In 2002-07, a new building was designed by Rafael Moneo around the reconstructed remains of the cloister of the San Jerónimo el Real. The new space doubles the number of paintings from the permanent collection that can be displayed at one time.
What to See
The collection of the Prado Museum is strongest in Spanish and Flemish painting, but contains a variety of paintings from elsewhere in Europe as well as some sculpture and decorative art. Many of the paintings' subjects are religious, which range in tone from incredibly moving to completely creepy.
The galleries are divided into the following sections, which are color-coded on the free map visitors receive with admission:
- Spanish Painting 1100-1850 (notably Velazquez, Goya and El Greco)
- Flemish Painting 1430-1700 (large collection of Bosch paintings as well as Rubens and Van der Weyden)
- Italian Painting 1300-1800 (includes Titian, Tintoretto, Fra Angelico and Caravaggio)
- German Painting 1450-1800 (self-portrait and other paintings by Dürer)
- French Painting 1600-1800 (artist highlights include Claude and Poussin)
- Dutch Painting 1600-1695 (notably Rembrandt)
- British Painting 1750-1830 (Gainsborough, Reynolds and others)
- Sculpture (including Classical sculpture purchased by Spanish collectors in Italy)
- Decorative Arts (including many medieval religious treasures)
Among the most famous artworks displayed in the Museo del Prado are these:
- Las Meninas (Maids of Honor) by Diego Velázquez
- La maja desnuda (The Nude Maja) by Francisco de Goya
- Self-portrait by Albrecht Dürer
- The Garden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch
- The Three Graces by Peter Paul Rubens
Although the Prado emphasizes Renassiance and later art, visitors interested in medieval art will find plenty to see as well. A major highlight in this regard are 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque frescoes from the Church of San Baudelio de Berlanga and the Church of Santa Cruz de Maderuelo. There is also a good collection of Spanish religious treasures from the late medieval period from Castile and Catalonia.
Quick Facts
Site Information |
| Names: | Prado Museum; Museo del Prado; Museo Nacional del Prado |
| Location: | Madrid, Madrid, Spain |
| Category: | Museums |
| Status: | museum |
| Date: | 1785-1819; 2002-07 |
| Patron: | King-Mayor Carlos III |
| Architect: | Juan de Villanueva |
Visitor Information |
| Coordinates: | 40.413723° N, 3.692291° W (view on Google Maps) |
| Address: | Paseo del Prado, 28014, Madrid, Spain |
| Phone: | 34 91 330 2800 |
| Website: | www.museodelprado.es |
| Hours: | Tue-Sun 9am-8pm Jan 6, Dec 24, Dec 31: 9am-2pm Closed: Mondays, Jan 1, Good Friday, May 1, Dec 25 Café and shop: 9am-7:30pm |
| Cost: | €8 adults; €4 reduced; free on Sundays |
| Photography: | Prohibited |
| Facilities: | Cafe and restaurant; shop; cloakroom; toilets; audio guides (€3.50) |
| Accessibility: | Elevators, ramps, platforms and bathrooms are adapted for visitors with mobility impairments. Canes and wheelchairs are available for free use in the cloakroom. |
Travel Resources
- Madrid Map - our detailed interactive map of Madrid, plus hand-picked links to more
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Location Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Prado Museum. Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Madrid Map.
Article Sources
Article written by Holly Hayes with reference to the following sources:
- Museo Nacional del Prado - official website (includes a printable floor plan)
- Museo del Prado - Fodor's Spain
- Museo del Prado - Rough Guide Spain
- Roger Collins, Oxford Archaeological Guide to Spain (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998), 174.
- Museo del Prado - Wikipedia (July 2009)
Article last updated: 07/17/2009.
